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| INSIDE THE NUMBERS |
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2000-01 record: 12-17;
4-12 in ACC (9th)
Postseason: None. Last appearance in NCAA Tournament was in 1998.
RETURNING LEADERS
Points: Scott 11.9
Rebs: Henderson 8.8
Assists: Scott 7.9
FG: Ford 60.6%
3pt: Scott 30.6%
FT: Scott 67.4%
01-02 Stats:
Clemson | ACC
KEY LOSSES
Tony Stockman | 12.2 ppg
Jamar McKnight | 12.5 ppg
Dwon Clifton | 2.3 ppg
PROJECTED STARTERS
G | Edward Scott | Senior
G | Chey Christie | Soph
C | R. Henderson | Senior
F | Julian Betko | Fresh
F | Chris Hobbs | Senior
Player to Watch
Ray Henderson
Junior Guard
Averaged more rebounds per minute than anyone else in ACC last year.
DATE TO REMEMBER
Clemson visits South Carolina, a rivalry that has caused courtside sparks between players and coaches. With another long ACC season likely, the Tigers could use a victory in this rivalry game.
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CLEMSON TIGERS
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How does it get tougher for Clemson and coach Larry Shyatt? This is how: Even when the Tigers are home this season, they won't really be at home. Thanks to renovations of Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson will play its home games at the much cozier Anderson Civic Center, about 20 minutes from Clemson, at least until January -- possibly beyond. The Tigers could be better than last season, but how much better the Tigers are probably depends on a pair of 6-5 wing imports, Julian Betko of Slovakia and Ori Ichaki of Israel, who are said to be more skilled and basketball-savvy than the typical American wing. If so, one of them and maybe both would join a lineup that returns All-ACC candidate Edward Scott (11.9 points, 7.9 assists, 4.9 rebounds) as the do-everything point guard and bruising Ray Henderson (8.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg) and Chris Hobbs (11.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg) in the low post. Henderson and Hobbs are an average 6-8, 265. Shyatt has plenty of other options at his disposal for the starting lineup, including 6-4 sophomore shooting guard Chey Christie and 6-10 sophomore big man Sharrod Ford.
TOUGH ENOUGH..............................
Scott is one of the more underrated players in the country, a triple-double waiting to happen whose biggest problem has been a lack of exposure and teammates unable to finish some of his spectacular passes. Without Tony Stockman (12.2 ppg), an unpredictable player who transferred to Ohio State, Scott should have even more control of the Clemson offense - a good thing.
TOUGH ENOUGH?..............................
The Tigers hit just 30.6 percent of their 3-pointers last season, and they've lost their best two shooters in Stockman and Jamar McKnight (12.5 ppg). Scott can shoot, but the demands of doing everything else dragged his 3-point accuracy down to 30.6 percent. Betko, Ichaki and Christie will have to pick up some slack - though Ichaki's eligibility, as a foreign player with some club experience, is unclear for now.
BOTTOM LINE..............................
Clemson will be one of the deepest teams in the ACC, but this is a league with premium talent, and having a decent ninth man doesn't mean much if your first five can't handle the competition. Having said all that, Clemson only has two proven ACC-caliber players, maybe three, so unless there's a lot of improvement, the Tigers could be headed for another losing season. Which means Shyatt's security will be questioned.
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